New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-19
METHODS oFA"PHYsIoA1 Wreck
HOW THE CIVIL SERVICE LAW is EvADED.
INSTANCES OF rmcxrnr IN THE PENSION OFFICE

INSTANCES OF rmcKKny IN THE PENSION OFFICE
no REPUBLICAN NEED APPLY
rnY TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBuSs.
WARRINGTON July 1s--From a Union veteran who
for FIVE years was an employe OF the Pension Bureau
who was four times promoted as he says, without the
use OF influence pressure from any quarter ann who
was dismissed by Secretary Lamar at the request or
the. Commissioner Of Pensions" who admitted that
there we're no charges against hima TRIBUNE corre-
snondeat has received some interesting statements
specng the methods Of General Black tho lively pny-
sica, wreck" at the head of the Pension Bureau He
eaid:
1T may not be generally known. but u Is tact never
tbecss that OF all the appointments that have been made
in the Pension Office since March a. 1885, no Repuol-
cans have been chosen yet II rs stated every time that
the amendments were made under Civil Service rules.
far the Civil Service Commission 10 30 constituted NJ
present that It can grind DeTocrat for the Pension
Office eyery time; 1t never fails. On January s. 1885,
an examination held at Washington Tor principal
examjners there being at that time three vacancies In
that Grade There we're fourteen applicants and nine
passed Several those who passed were already per-
forming the duties of principal examiners on detail at
le.s salary and men well veTsed In the duties thereof
and consequently much better qualified for the positions
than any one from the outside Thomas +. Dennis who
at tat time was duty In Deputy Commissioner Nc.
leans ROOM stood first the list with high grade ana
John G. Bsssidy now in the field n special examiner,
~
on the list As the grades were received Deputy
Mclean went to General Black and stated that Mr.
Dennis had passed first the list ana asked that ne DO
Amounted at once General Black raised his hand ABOVE
his head and brought It down his desk at the same
time excIaiming: Not in this ofce gets one OF
these places They go 20 three good Democrats irohi
the outside Mr. Mclean reported what the Commis-
sioner said 10 Mr. Dennis and he in turn 10 several OF
his acqantances In the office but at the instance OF
Chief Clerk Murphy the matter was hushed up.
"Gencra Black then applied to the Civil Service Com
mission for the entire ell dbie list to select from ana
this Mr. Trenholm the only Civil Service reormer on Tue
Commission refused to do aud General Baek refused
10 recommend appointments unless II dld co. Inc nattcr
stood in this shape until the latter part OF April
ing, nearly four months after tee Mr. ren
holm and appointing j. H. Oberly Ia ms seau i.e s,
as made eariy in May Luther NJ. Longshaw, OF Ala
hama was the man. lie l. Southern sympathizing
penSss. o. he e san SI an Sn. Of vile and
chnckles when Ia enabled 20 reject case ne server
as second leutenan: in the Army for time after tne
war and was one or Andrew Jonnsons appointments.
He failed 20 get the required grace IN tue ,N w
m the ,iy service Comm salon. who raised his
grade I'm one branch enough to bring MS teheIal az
up 20 1e ~ encral wheee- OF Alabama although he
stood the foot OF the Hat Mr. Dennis ana pr
were both given TO understand that they wond make
no noise they could 90 the Held as special ekaners
and be retained In the oiics They accepted us oh S
and the former sent TO Topeka Kansas where no
had brother in business and the latter to some point
In Dakota Territory Both these men II Drougn. UP
would testify to rutnfuness OF the foregoing sae
meut. - -, .-na - ,ho oxaro,
.Judge c. Buskirk. OF Indiana, failed ON the exami,
nation OF January y. lssG. aud entered me u
sgsn after SIX BAD expired This time nc was
pcel on the glbc list and received nouuoauon W
tha fact about $3.50 D. one day and was sworn III AZ
principal examine. next morning before II O'CLOCK IN
Inc meantime he mad been appointed messenger anu
wac told he would be appointed 10 this place rs s'
as his name placed on the eligible n.t ,,.,sos
Now the FOREGOING II true statement anu
only few instances Of how the Clvi service law 70
being ev AIDED In the Pension Office Many more caes 1
IKE Kind eris and an invcstlg CATION into the methou
OF appointments that ONCE would show
schen,e 10 evade the law In other bureaus SOMETIMES
= Republican is appointed, but In the PenSioh once
never"